Come back, Jack!
by Geibaby37
Summary: Two little Dicky birds, sitting on a shack, one named Merida, the other named Jack. Fly away, Merida! Fly away, Jack! Come back, says Merida. Come back, Jack!
1. Chapter 1

**Chapter 1**

Merida ran. The sky was slightly red and beautiful and the sun was starting to set. The weather was warm and yet refreshing. The absolute opposite of her homeland, Scotland.

She picked up a dandelion and blew with all her might. Only a single little one was left. She gave another short puff and it was gone. She giggled and then started following the dandelions blowing away in the strong breeze.

She ran up the hill, through the trees. She stumbled once, but got up quickly to not lose sight of those dandelions. There were only a few left though, now.

When she got to the top of the hill, she stopped. There was a boy standing there. Brown hair and tall. He was older than her, she could see that.

"Hello."

He turned around. Merida knew he was, what her mother would call, _handsome_ or _admirable_.

"Oh, hello, little girl." He smiled at her and his hazel eyes lit up. He had a great smile.

"I'm not that little, I'm nearly five." Merida explained to him.

"Oh, of course you are." His smile grew wider. "Did you blow those dandelions just now?", he asked.

"Yes. I nearly got all of them in one blow." she told him.

"That's impressing. Where do you come from then? You speak with an accent."

"I'm from Scotland. That's far away." Merida said, proudly.

"I believe it is."

Suddenly Merida heard a voice. "Merida! Come here, princess, it's going to get dark soon!", her mother called.

Merida turned back to the nice boy. "I have to go."

"It was very charming meeting you, Princess Merida." He smirked. Of course he would not know that she truly was the Scottish princess.

As she looked at him once more, she noticed the last dandelion circling close to his head and felt warm in her tummy. Then she turned and ran towards her mother's calls.

Many months passed by. It was winter now in Scotland. Merida had turned five just the other day. On the 21st of December, Merida leaned onto the windowsill in her bedroom and looked out into the cold night, where a snowstorm was blowing fiercely through the landscape.

Bu t she was inside, safe and warm. Warm…she thought of the trip they had made months ago. She did not know what the land was called, for she was too young, but she knew she had enjoyed it. Then she thought of that boy and their short encounter. They had not met after that, even though she had looked over and over for him.

Merida sighed. He was much too old to become her friend anyhow. She sighed.

"Two little dickybirds

Stood on a hill,

One named Merida,

The other named…" She thought for a moment.

"…Bill.

Run away, Merida, run away, Bill!

Come back, says the princess, come back, Bill!" She whispers that last line very softly and looks sad for a moment.

Right then, something passes the window by. Merida's red, curly head shoots up, but all she can see is snow. Then she sees it. The hand mark on her window glass. Amazing, she could have sworn it was not there a few seconds ago.

For a brief moment, she stays still, watching the window. Then she gets up and prepares for bed.

Her dreams are full of ice and snow and Bill. But he has white hair and crystal blue eyes now. And as he reaches out to touch the dandelion, everything around them freezes. He looks at her and it looks to her like he is mouthing. "Help me!" And then, as quick as a flash, he is gone.

The years go by fast and change Merida into a healthy, lively young woman, barely seventeen. Merida is outspoken and amusing and no one can help noticing how beautiful she is. Her body has fully developed and her face is soft, but demanding and her eyes are a light blue grayish colour. Some of the servants have fallen in love with her, but she doesn't even seem to notice. She has stayed young in many ways and is not interested in anything romantic. Only in living.

Merida spends most her days riding and hunting. She is good with the bow and she uses it every day. Today is no different. She attaches the three squirrels to her belt and makes her way towards the shack that the witch owns. Ever since the incident with her mother, she hasn't been around much. Merida often comes here to enjoy time to herself. She climbs up onto the roof and sits there, glancing up at the sky. It is truly beautiful here, at home. She stretches and detaches the bow and the arrows from her back. Just as she wants to put them next to her, she jerks back and yells.

The boy, obviously startled, tumbles backwards off the roof. Merida gathers herself up and lurks over the edge, only to jump right back, yelling even louder. He is flying! In the air, flying!

"Hey, hey, calm down!", the boy tells her.

"You're floating! Floating in the air! How are you doing that?", she asks, drawing nearer again, fascinated.

"You can…you can see me. I can't…you…you can really see me, that's wonderful!", he exclaims, stricken.

"Of course, you can see me, can't you? But how are you doing that, how are you…" Before she can finish her sentence, the boy suddenly shoots forward, grabs her and flies high into the air.

"You can see me! You can see me, you can see me, you can see me!", he shouts, laughing heartily. "But no one can see me, not even children! Why?"

Merida overcomes her state of shock. "You lunatic, put me down!"

So the boy lands puts her down gently. "Tell me, how could you see me?"

"I asked first, how could you fly?", Merida snaps back.

"I am not really sure. The wind carries me with him."

"What?"

"I truly do not know, I swear. All the man in the moon told me was my name."

"Man in the moon? Are you making fun of me?"

"No, I'm not. The man in the moon came down too soon  
To inquire the way to Norridge;  
The man in the South, he burnt his mouth  
With eating cold plum porridge."

"Yes, yes, I know the rhyme.", Merida proclaims, shaking her head. "But that is truly fascinating, you can fly!"

"Shall I give you a ride?", he asks her, smiling.

"Well...well, I...I would actually...hey!" Without waiting for her to finish, he picks her up and swoops into the air. Merida gasps.

"I...I've changed my mind, put me down!"

"Oh, but we've only just started!" He grins and then zooms forward, as fast as the wind can carry him. Merida can feel the wind blowing strongly into her face and suddenly gets a tickling sensation in her stomach.

Suddenly she can hear herself screaming: "Faster, faster!" and laughing.

They spend at least half an hour shooting through the sky and Merida feels free and light and wonderful the whole time. But the sun is beginning to go down and Merida knows she can't stay out in the dark.

So they land, back on the shack and giggling.

"That was magical!", Merida declares. "Absolutely magical!"

"Wasn't it? By the way, what's your name?"

"It's Merida." She decides to leave out the princess part.

"Merida? That's...a really nice name.", he nods.

"And you?"

"I'm Jack." He secretly decides to leave out the Frost part. "So...will I be seeing you again, Miss Merida?"

"If you look hard enough.", she says, smiling.

"It won't be hard spotting you with that!", he replies, taking a lock of her shining red hair into his hand, twisting and turning it.

"Hey, I'm proud of that!", she cries, pulling pack.

"You should be." He draws a little nearer. "It's as wild and untamed as you are."

Merida blushes a little, but soon catches herself again and shrugs.

"I have to go." It is as if the words had echoed deeply into their minds. Something about that very second felt so familiar, and yet strange. Both thought the same, both felt something right then and there, but they did not say anything, though they looked at each other and both knew: They had met before.

Merida leans forward, very close to his face and says: "What are you?"

And he looks to her with great sorrow in his eyes and answers: "I don't know. Does it matter?"

She looks at him a bit longer and then sits back. "No. It doesn't."

The next day they meet again, back at the shack.

"I waited for you a long time. Where do you live?"

"I...er, close."

"I'd love to see it."

"Oh, er...well...okay." Merida reaches out to take his hand, but he backs away.

"Erm, I don't know if that's..."

"Oh nonsense!", she interrupts and grabs his hand.

He looks surprised for a minute and then his eyes turn toward the red-haired girl pulling him along. She sure is different...how is she able to touch him?

"Geez, your hand is freezing, how long have you been waiting?"

"A long time, like I said." She blushes. Did he really...wait that long just to see her?

They walk their way towards the path she came from. "There, that's Angus."

"Wow, he's big!"

"Haha, I know, he's a Clydesdale.", she answers, laughing.

She leaves his side and walks towards her horse. Jack watches her as she pets and strokes the mighty creature.

'She doesn't seem like the shallow type of girl. Maybe she can...accept me.', he thought to himself.

"Penny for your thoughts.", Merida says.

"Erm, I...shall we go then?"

"Haha, alright. Get on!"

Jack jumps up in one leap and Merida jumps in front of him.

He slowly wraps his arms around her waist. It has been a long time since he last rode a horse.

Merida digs her heels into the horses' back and it starts to trot, then gallop.

Jack clings to her a little tighter. Her read hair is in his face. It smells fresh and pretty and he rests his head on her shoulder. He can't even feel the horse touching the ground. There's only him and this extraordinarily sensational girl with the fiery red hair and the big blue eyes.

Merida's heart is pounding even faster than it usually does on horseback. He is like a helpless little boy in a lot of ways. She can feel herself getting warm, even though his cold breath is breathing onto her neck.

Too soon, the two of them arrive at the castle. He jumps off and looks around. "You're kidding me, right? Please tell me you're the maid." He looks at her silky red dress.

"I'm...I'm Merida. Princess Merida."

He gasps.

"It's only a title!", she cries. "I was scared to tell you, I thought you wouldn't like me after that anymore..." She looks sad. He approaches her, slowly. "I'm really truly..." But he puts his finger on her lips.

"Sorry. I know. So am I."

"Why?"

"I..."

Right that minute, one of the younger stable boys approaches her.

"Hello, Princess Merida, welcome back. How was your ride? I'll unsaddle your horse for you."

"Hey, watch out-!", Merida cries and then she is silent and stares. It looked for a minute like the stable boy would run into Jack, but...but he has...he has run...right _through _him.

"What is it, princess?", the boy asks.

"Er...it's...just...my friend."

"Your friend? Where?"

"Right here, can't you see him?"

"Jack Frost, pleased to meet you.", Jack says, bowing.

"What are speaking of? There is no one there. Indeed, Merida, you have quite an imagination." The boy turns around again to tend to Angus.

After the boy has left, Merida turns to Jack. "Jack...Frost?"

"Look out! Look out!  
Jack Frost is about!  
He's after our fingers and toes,  
And all through the night,  
The happy little sprite  
Is working where nobody knows.  
He'll climb each tree,  
So nimble is he,  
His silvery powder he'll shake.  
To windows he'll creep  
And while we're asleep  
Such wonderful pictures he'll make.  
Across the grass  
He'll merrily pass,  
And change all its greenness to white.  
Then home he will go  
And laugh ho, ho ho!  
What fun I have had in the night."

"You...you are Jack Frost." She looks at the long stick he has been carrying around all the time.

"And you're a princess."

"I think your secret is a little bit bigger, don't you agree?"

He is silent. He bites his lip and looks at her. 'She hates me now. She hates me. I've ruined it, she hates me.'

"Prove it."

"What?"

"Prove you're Jack Frost."

Jack looks at her. How does she want him to prove it? Should he turn a stone to ice? Should he let it snow? Suddenly he has an idea.

"I knew it! You're not really...w-what are you doing?"

"Ssh.", he whispers softly and leans forward. As his lips touch hers, she feels his lips as cold as ice. And as he puts his arms around her, she shivers. His arms, his hands...everything about him is coldness itself. Her knees get weak as he backs away.

"I...you really are...Jack Frost.", she gasps.

"How can you see me? Feel me? How? Please tell me."

"I don't know...I...I believed it. I didn't really need proof."

"You know, Merida...I get the feeling we've met before."

"I know, so do I...but when?"

"I can't recall."

They stay silent for a few moments.

"So I am the only one who can see you. And hear you. Mustn't that have been awfully lonely?"

"I...I guess so."

Merida felt sorry for this boy. He had never actually told her about where he came from, if he had family...does Jack Frost have family? Who knows?

She took his hand. "We should...probably leave. As you won't be able to meet my parents anyway..."

"Yes, I suppose you are right.", he replies, throwing her crooked smile. Then he picks her up and they are off.

She can't help feeling happy soaring through the air like that.

"Where are you going?", she yells against the noise. "The shack is that way!"

"It's a surprise." He smiles at her and her heart skips a beat.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

It takes Merida a few minutes to realize where they are heading. The lake. Jack lands gently and sets her down.

"Is the ice thick enough?"

"I made sure." She looks at him and grins. He grins back.

Then Jack starts sliding across the ice. Merida notices he's barefoot. But he doesn't seem to be feeling the cold.

"Let's see if you can beat this!", he says, jumping gracefully into the air and landing on his hands.

"Oh, haha, very funny!" He grins at her. "Was that really all?", she asks him, laughing heartily.

"Excuse me?", he cries, offended. Merida cackles. Suddenly a snow ball comes flying and hits her right in the face.

"Hey!", she shouts and suddenly notices that everything around her is now white. "How did you do that?", she asks, staring.

"It is nearly December, isn't it? It's about time for frost."

"Amazing!" Jack watches carefully as the girl starts running across the ice towards the snow and toys with it, throws it in the air, blows it from her hand, rolls in it. She is truly fascinated by the cold winter time.

"Do you like winter more than summer?"

"I have to, I live in Scotland!", she chuckles. Then she turns to him. "Jack, if you can fly, does that mean you have been all over the world already?"

"Yes."

"Wow. Will you take me with you some time?", she asks him.

"I…naa, you're better off here, where it's cold and dull."

"Hey!" She sends a snowball flying, but Jack simply breathes out, just before the snow ball is about to hit his face and it freezes and drops to his feet.

Merida applauds. "Not bad, I must say."

A deadly battle evolves and it continues until Jack is on the ground, begging and pleading. "Please, please stop, I get it, I get it!"

"Now will you take me with you?" She holds a snowball in the air, threatening. Suddenly he is on his feet and staring at her.

"Wherever I go.", he whispers.

Merida's heart beats faster and she feels cold and warm at the same time.

'She is so…so hard to resist…'

He leans forward until their foreheads are up against each other. Jack is breathing heavily now. Merida can't think, but it feels like they have known each other forever. She reaches out and strokes his cheek with her right hand. He closes his eyes and bites his lip, as if he is holding back on something.

"Can I…show you that proof again?"

"Y-yes."

She holds her breath as his soft lips unite with hers. It is beautiful, it is cold, but warm as well. Her heart is beating so fast she can hardly breathe and her stomach is tickling from the inside. Everything around her goes blurry and she is sure, that this boy here is no stranger. But where did they meet? And when?

He leaves her lips for a moment and leaves a sweet prickling on her lips. The way he is looking at her now…helpless, enchanted, such sweet sorrow, she can hardly contain herself. Then she wraps her arms around his neck and pulls him close again.

The snow looks like it is covered with small diamonds, that shine and glimmer in the sunlight. As they finally part, he whispers in her ear: "If I could freeze time, I would." It makes her chuckle.

He brushes past her and takes a stick off the ground. He blows cold air onto it and it freezes, as hard as stone.

Then he starts cutting into one of the trees, carving their names into the wood. She stands next to him and takes the iced stick when he is done and carves a small heart underneath his work. He grins.

"Come on, let's get back to the cabin.", he says. "Your clothes and hair are wet."

"Yours aren't.", she says, putting her tongue out.

"Alright, that's it!", he says, acting angry and throwing her high into the air.

"Aaaahh! Are you mental?!", she squeaks, while Jack floats upwards and catches her halfway to the ground.

"No, I'm Jack Frost and I can do whatever I like to girls!"

She giggles and he smiles and flies off towards the warm witches' cabin.

Now that she is inside, she realizes how cold she really is. He heats the fireplace, but her clothes are soaked all through and her skin is cold and damp.

"Take them off.", Jack suggests.

"I can't, my servants always do it, I don't know how to get out of a dress like this on my own." He sighs and walks up to her. "Hey! Hey! What are you…?!"

_Riiip!_

Merida gasps, as the soft silk sinks to the wooden floor. "You…"

Suddenly he is behind her, very cautiously taking one of the ribbons in his hand and pulling it. The knot loosens. Jack gulps. Then he cautiously pulls the corset apart…

"I can do that myself, thanks!", she says, spinning around. "Now turn around!"

Jack looks at her, expressionless. Never in all his life has he known the beauty of a human girl's body. He wants to see more of it, he _needs _to see more of it…all of it.

"I…Merida…" Seeing her innocent puzzled expression is too much for him to handle.

'What does he want? Why won't he look away? God, this is so humiliating!' Suddenly Jack takes Merida by complete surprise and kisses her.

"I…Merida, I don't know when or how we met, but I feel like I have known you all your life. There is something about you, I…I just can't…hold back."

Merida turns to ice, she can't feel a thing but Goosebumps over and over. All through her body they travel, her heart beating fast. She is a princess! She probably doesn't want to be, but she is…and didn't she promise her mother…no! She couldn't!

Merida shakes her head and pushes Jack away from her. "No, Jack, we can't! W-we've only just met, it just doesn't feel right, I'll feel like some whore. Jack, I am a princess! I have to keep as much dignity as I can!"

"So making love to me would make you feel undignified?"

"Making love to anyone would make me feel undignified!", she cries, with tears in her eyes.

"I see…"

She sighs, wraps a lump that was lying on the table around her and wants to leave, when he grabs her arm and pulls her close. "Well what if I love you?", he yells and his eyes look wet.

Merida opens her mouth to say something, but no words come out. A part of her screams out: You hardly know this boy, this is not what your mother raised you to be!

But the other part is looking deeply into those crystal-clear blue eyes of his and it sees trust and it sees warmth and it sees something beautiful and something familiar. And it sees the love and it tells her: You know this boy. You do know him. Try to remember. _Try._ Give yourself to him.

And the words of that very part, she knows, are true, somehow, somewhere, sometime, they had met. And he is no stranger to her.

She strokes his hair and kisses his cheek tenderly. He looks at her, her body, her beauty. And all he can sense is that undeniable feeling of safety she gives him. And he knows, that she is more than a beautiful princess. To him, she is more, much more. She takes his face in her hands and kisses him again. To him…she…is…_everything._

She leaves his lips and cautiously opens the knot in his cape. It slides from his neck. He begins to pull her tights downwards. When he is kneeling, he suddenly places each hand on her hips and kisses the part just below her navel. She shudders. The feeling is overwhelming.

He gets up and grins down at her. Then he pulls off his shirt and they lay down on the dusty ruby-red carpet.

Jack continues kissing her, her stomach, the place between her breasts, her neck. Then, he very slightly lets his tongue touch her throat. Merida gasps underneath him and wraps her arms around him.

"You okay down there?", he teases, looking down on her. She giggles.

Then she can feel Jack shifting his position and realizes with a little hard breath, that he is removing his trousers. He looks at her. "Are…you…ready?"

She strokes his face and nods. She knows he will try his best not to hurt her. She trusts him more than she has ever trusted anyone.

When he first enters her body, the pain is not to be described and tears shoot into her eyes. Though they reflect much more than pain. In them, one sees maturity and grace and love. They show joy.

Jack bows his head down next to hers and utters a breathless: "Gah!" Merida slightly bites into his earlobe and he moans.

A snowstorm has started outside. Merida sees it through the window and can't help chuckling. Then Jack kisses her again. His breaths grow shorter as he gets faster. There is all this passion, all this energy, this…this…lust. He can not hold out much longer, but he wants to please Merida as well. He desperately looks for something to hold on to and quick as a flash, grabs Merida's hair. The pain is sharp and though short, something in Merida, or, more specifically, somewhere in Merida's body it gives her the final push and her body quivers, as she tightens her grip around Jack's back and shrieks: "Oh, OH, JACK, I LOVE YOU!"

That's when Jack surrenders and his mind goes blank. He hears his mouth yelling: "A-Ahhh!" and then his body tenses up. Every single muscle in his muscle is flexed and then his body relaxes and he remembers again, where he is, who he is with.

He is towering above her, his one arm wrapped around her waist, pulling her close to his body, his other propped up against the floor, pushing himself up. Merida has her arms around his neck and is nuzzling it.

"Did…did you really mean it?" She looks up at him and blushes.

"Well, it was just…in the heat of the moment, I'm sorry."

His smile fades. "Oh."

"Just joking, of course I meant it.", she cackles. "You ARE easily fooled."

"Oh, shush, you!", he complains, grinning and bending down to kiss her.


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

„Wow! Incredible, show me more!", Merida cries, fascinated.

"You've already seen all of me!", Jack laughs.

"You moron, you know that's not what I meant!", she giggles.

Though it was just a joke, the feeling still lingers in Jack's system. He can still feel her touch, her skin and the memories of yesterday still follow him around like a ghost.

But he leads her across the clearing and towards the spot where the ground is stony and has small patches of yellow grass spreading across it.

He treads on the stone and suddenly a coat of ice spreads across the ground. He takes her hand and pulls her close, then whirls her around and around the patch of ice.

She chuckles and puts her arms around his neck.

How long they dance that closely, she can't tell. When they finally sputter to a halt, Jack looks deeply into Merida's eyes.

"Merida, I have a question. You don't have to answer straight away, but when you are ready and please be honest." He looks serious and Merida gulps and then nods. "If the grass was green, the trees bright and the forest peaceful…would you see the evil witch's house?"

"I…I don't understand…"

"I told you, answer when you are ready."

He sees she looks uneasy and takes her hand. "Let's go do some fun stuff.", he says and laughs heartily.

They spend the rest of the day playing in the snow he creates, skating on the water he freezes and flying through the air he commands.

Merida has never felt so at ease and feels she is falling for him, deeper and deeper. Jack just looks at her and is grateful. Grateful for the chance to experience just a little part of humanity. Grateful to have such a beautiful, funny, graceful girl by his side and grateful to be able to love again. Grateful that all this long-term loneliness may just have found an ending.

He flies her home when it is close to dark and she slips through her open window high up in a tower. Jack leans forward and kisses her Goodnight. "I will pick you up tomorrow.", he promises.

Just when she closes her window and he turns to fly away, she gets Goosebumps from something. She's been here before, right here in this situation. She has seen this before, felt this before. But when?

Suddenly her door bursts open. Her mother and father.

"When did you get here? How did you get in?", her mother demands.

"I…I…"

"Don't you know how worried we were?", her father calls. "We haven't seen you properly in days, where have you been going, you're gone the whole day?"

"Hunting.", she lies, but too obvious.

"Rubbish!", her mother cires out. "Have you been meeting a boy?" Merida balks. Usually, she is a very good liar, but then the thoughts of her and Jack in the shack return and she flinches.

"You…you really _have_?", her father asks, aghast.

"N-no!"

"Nonsense, you have! Just know this, I forbid it, I forbid it! You did not show up to your classes today! If he is not one of the three sons, I forbid it!", her mother yells, furious.

"Mother, no!", Merida pleads.

"I will hear no more of this, no supper for you and you will eat breakfast with US tomorrow!"

Then she strides out angrily. Merida can feel the tears like a hot cooking pot steaming up inside of her.

Fergus turns to her, with a sad face. He looks like he wants to say something, but then stops. Then he softly asks: "What's the lad like?"

She swallows. "He is very admirable. And funny. And maybe a bit silly at times, but, but…so different." The lump in her throat overpowers her and she tries to swallow it, but it only forces more tears into her eyes. It's not the fact she will no longer be able to see Jack, because she knows he will never stop coming, no matter what her mother says. No, the fact her mother forbids the thing that makes Merida most happy pains her. Their relationship has bettered, but her mother has not changed completely. And she doesn't even know what she said hurt Merida so deeply, but still Merida feels betrayed.

Her father pulls a face. "I'm so sorry, lass. Just wait till morning, everything will be better tomorrow."

'No, it won't.', Merida sighs on the inside.

Fergus hates to see his daughter so sad, but he knows there is nothing he could do or say to make anything better, so after a short crooked a smile and a pat on the shoulder, he leaves her room.

Merida tears off her dress in a rag. She kicks off her pretty black shoes, changes into her nightgown, sinks onto her bed covers and sobs quietly. "Jack…Jack…", she whispers.

Suddenly she feels a small shiver. She jumps up and there he is, at her window. She runs over and tears it open.

He grins down at her and lands in front of her, but then he spots the fresh tears on her cheeks. "What's the matter?", he asks her, looking worried.

"My…mother…she found out."

"And?"

"She did not take it well."

"Oh, come here." He says and pulls her to his chest. "Everything's going to be fine. I think it was just too much at a time. Talk to her tomorrow, it'll be alright."

"The…the thing is…I'm not scared of never seeing you again…"

"Why, thanks a lot!", he laughs.

"No, I mean, I just don't understand her…it's like she's always trying her very best to see me unhappy. And I just don't know why."

"She doesn't mean it like that, trust me. She is just worried about you. She doesn't know me after all. And I think she misses you. Just talk to her tomorrow, it'll be fine, I promise you."

She looks into the blue, calm eyes and feels better. He knows what to say, he knows how to help her. And as long as he is not worried about something, she is not either. She wipes her eyes.

"You just have to be brave.", he says, smiling warmly. He wipes away her tears with his index finger and the cold skin soothes her swollen eyes.

"Awww.", she sighs and laughs.

"Haha, you like that?", he cackles and kisses her eye. She places her hand on the back of his head and giggles.

"Better than a steak.", she laughs.

He starts kissing her cheek, then her neck, then her shoulder.

"Jack, not now, not here!", she squeals under her breath.

"Please."

"No, no, we…_ohhh_."

He had just gripped a lock of hair and slightly tugged at it. Then he looks at her, his lip quivering. "_Please_."

"I…"

But he has already pushed her over to her bed. He leans forward and lays her on the covers that still have wet patches from her tears.

"A-alright, t-this one night…aaah, Jack!"

"Ssshh. You wouldn't want your parents to hear, would you?", he smirks. Then he pulls off her gown and she opens his cape. He pulls off his shirt and she runs her fingers across his upper body. It's not an amazing six-pack, but well trained, flat and hard. Then he lies down on top of her and the known feeling of being the closest he could get to her returns. Slowly, he lets his hand glide down her torso and between her legs. She squirms underneath of him and starts panting.

"Am I…hurting you?"

"No…n-not all…" She pinches her eyes tightly and gasps breathlessly. Then he slightly pinches her clitoris and she utters a muffled yell.

Suddenly she switches positions and is on top of him. She moves further down and removes his trousers.

The second she sits on top of him, Jack shifts his waist upwards and breathes out, trying to calm himself, to slow down his racing heart. She sighs in relief. Jack realizes he is obviously no longer hurting her, since she is no longer virgin. Meaning he no longer has to hold back.

He wraps his right arm around her waist and switches positions once again, moving them to the middle of her large bed and away from the edge.

She is warm, so warm. Jack watches her, breathing in and out. She is lying in his arms, but still she never seems to be affected. She just lies there, twitching sometimes. Sometimes she mumbles something he can't understand, but that is all. How is it possible for her to see him, he is still wondering. He knows Santa Claus and the Tooth Fairy and even the Sandman can be seen by others, by children, but not him. Not even children. Not anyone. And yet she…

Moonlight shines in through the window, onto Merida's face. Jack does not want her to leave him, ever, but he knows she might one day. What if she can't see him anymore? He imagines how it would feel for her to walk straight through him and it nearly break his heart just thinking about it. And what if she found someone else? A human? What if she falls in love and forgets him? He tightens his grip on her, prepared to never let go. No. He will make sure. He will stay with her forever, forever meaning as long as she will have him. And even if she one day does leave, he will make sure to never leave her sight. She must always see him, no matter if she loves him or not, for if she one day truly forgot about him, he was bound to lose his senses.

Suddenly he heard her whispering something: "No, stay. No, don't leave, no! Come back! Come back, Jack!"

His heart jumps when he hears his name and he feels so moved, his eyes get wet. He whispers back: "I am here. I will always be there."

The next morning comes quickly and Merida awakens as the servants start bursting into her room. The maid, the dresser…she turns around, but Jack isn't there.

"What are you looking for, miss?", the lady asks.

"Nothing.", she sighs. 'Where could he have gone?', she wonders.

The women take out her red dress and start pulling and tugging, as they dress her. She sighs when they are finally finished, with her clothing and her hair and heads towards breakfast.

"Good morning, Merida.", her mother says, looking content.

"Morning.", her daughter replies, looking around anxiously.

"Merida, my sweet, I do hope you understand my problem with you being in love with some simple town's boy."

"But, Mum…"

"And I hope you will act accordingly to what I told you. I've thought about inviting the three sons once again. So you can get to know them more. You will have to make a decision sooner or later, so I thought, why not start?"

"No, mother, you're getting it all wrong, I…"

"You need to act like a princess, Merida. I love you very much and all I want is for you to be happy."

"Then let me…"

"But you will not reach happiness by marrying some small affair, he will not make you happy."

"Can't you just…Dad!"

Her father looks bewildered, helpless and shrugs.

"Merida, please, all I want is for you to understand me. Please don't ruin our bond over some foolish town boy."

"He is not from this town and he is not…well, yes, maybe a little, but mother, he is different and he is…"

"Merida, this discussion is over, I do not want to…oh God."

"What?" Merida follows her mother's eyes and then spots what is causing her mother's state of shock. On the walls, a thick, strong ice is spreading out of nowhere, until the whole wall is covered. In that moment, the writing begins.

_Look out! Look out!  
Jack Frost is about!  
He's after our fingers and toes,  
And all through the night,  
The happy little sprite  
Is working where nobody knows.__  
__He'll climb each tree,  
So nimble is he,  
His silvery powder he'll shake.  
To windows he'll creep  
And while we're asleep  
Such wonderful pictures he'll make.__  
__Across the grass  
He'll merrily pass,  
And change all its greenness to white.  
Then home he will go  
And laugh ho, ho ho!  
What fun I have had in the night._

_I love your daughter. Would you please give us your blessing?_

"Holy...", her mother and father gasp.

Merida just smiles at Jack standing next to his work of art, cackling.

"M-Merida...can...can you see him?", her mother asks her.

"Yes. And I seem to be the only one."

"It must be the witch.", her father gasps. "It must be her powers."

"Nonsense, Jack is real!"

"Jack? So that's his name?"

"Yes, it says so. Jack Frost."

"Jack...Frost. Fergus...Fergus, I believe Merida."

"W-What? Impossible, I ask you!"

"Everything is possible!", Merida cries out. "Absolutely everything!" Then she jumps up and runs out. She can hear her parents call after her, but doesn't even turn around.

She runs through the hallway, through the kitchen, the large entrance hall, throws open the doors and bursts out into the open. There is Jack, standing a few meters away.

"I cannot believe this! They would rather believe their daughter has lost her mind than believe you exist!"

"Merida...adults can't see people like me, they just can't. That's why I'm always wondering about you...please don't be angry with your parents, they can't help it. Just say it was all some silly prank for now."

"But I don't want to...deny you." Merida looks guilty and hurt.

"Merida, you're denying me the minute you walk through me and that's all that will ever hurt my feelings, so don't worry." He smiles reassuringly. "So, would you like to forget a little?"

"Yes, I would love to.", she sighs and giggles.

"Come here, then!" And she rushes over to him and they are up and away. The air is definitely getting colder, Merida feels it. And yet all she does is get warmer and warmer. She stretches out her arms and screams against the loud, blasting wind.


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4**

„Hey, come on, throw them down!", Merida shouts.

"What do we get?", one of her three brothers shout back.

"Nothing, give them!"

"We don't make one-sided deals!"

Merida is boiling on the inside. If only she had her hunting gear…suddenly Jack swoops up and grabs the boy holding her arrows and bow.

The others gasp and reach out to grab his hand, but Jack simply detaches her gear from the squirming little fellow and drops it down to Merida.

"Wow, he's cute, I must say.", he says and laughs.

"Oh, Jack, stop humiliating him!", she cackles.

"Whatever you say.", he replies and lets go of the boys leg.

"AAAAARRRRRGGGHHHHHHH!"

The second before the boy hits the ground, a large pile of snow appears that he dives in headfirst. Merida lies down, unable to stand from laughing too hard. Her brother pops his head out and starts panting. "THAT…WAS…BRILLIANT! AGAIN, AGAIN!"

Jack holds his stomach, roaring with laughter.

The other two identical boys gap in disbelief, which only makes Jack's guffaw louder. "You should see their faces!", he chuckles.

His smile nearly overthrew Merida. It was then that Merida realized he was going to leave. Sooner or later. And she would be alone. Tears were forced into her eyes by the lump in her throat. This…this affair…it would not last. And she knew this now. How to carry on without Jack in her life? How to _live?_ Tears flooded her eyes, ran down her cheeks, dropped onto her dress…

He was going to leave her.

She watched as he circled around the tower roof, laughing and clapping, as the snow started falling. She swallowed. Winter had only just begun. She still had time.

Merida wiped away her tears as he floated softly down towards the ground.

"Haha, come along. Take your bow and lets go!", he smirked.

She nodded and smiled. He was right. She had to be brave. Just like he had said yesterday. He wasn't just talking about her mother…

She runs and he follows her. They race through the forest and she shoots an arrow, whenever she sees one of her wooden targets.

He applauds. "It's about time you showed me _your _talent!", he cackles.

"Absolutely!", she cries and turns around. She misses him on purpose and he grins.

"Wasn't scared in the least!", he laughs.

"Of course not!", she replies ironically. "Hey, let's build a snowman!"

Merida starts gathering a small snowball and rolls it around in the snow. It looks like fun and Jack joins in. Soon the bottom part is finished and Jack looks proudly at their finished work.

"Not bad…now we should – hey!" Jack picks her up and places her on top of the boulder.

"Just like a dream…", he whispers.

"Stop it, I'm blushing!", she sniggers and wants to jump down, when Jack kisses her from down below.

"I do love you, Merida."

"I do too."

After that they busily work on their project and when Jack is just about to slump down and stop, she grabs his arm and pulls him up.

"Carry on, slowpoke! We're nearly done." He simply chuckles at her eagerness.

When Merida has finally placed all the stones on his face, she frowns. "He needs a nose."

Jack floats up and pricks off an icicle. He sticks it right in the middle of the small snow boulder. Merida smiles happily. "It's perfect."

"We did a good job. Hey, let's make a wife tomorrow!"

"Oh yes!"

"Oh, but you know what we should really do? Go sledding!"

"Great idea! Let's go, let's go!" Merida starts running towards where she knows the hill lies. And it really is a sight for sore eyes. A soft, white blanket has covered the slopes and looks so peaceful and untouched. That is all about to change.

The way he sits behind her and howls against the wind and throws his arms in the air, one could almost forget he is not human. The hill is steep and high and Merida and Jack have as much fun as they possibly could.

"Watch out!"

"What - ahhh!" The icy sledge hits the tree stump and sends Jack and Merida flying.

Merida looks around. There's Jack, face down. Why didn't he fly? Merida hurries over and turns him around. "Jack? Are you alright? Jack?", she asks carefully and bends down to listen to his chest. There is no heartbeat.

Suddenly Jack grabs her by the shoulders and turns her onto her back. Towering above her, he grins down.

"You really scared me!"

"I know I did. But you are quite easily fooled.", he chuckles and bends down, but she turns her head.

"No, thank you, maybe later." Then she pushes him off and walks away.

"Oh, come on! Come back! We were having so much fun!"

He convinces her and they push their sledge up the hill again. And Merida really does forget everything else, just like he promised.

Later on, they start a tragic attempt to build an igloo. But the snow is too powdery and doesn't hold, so when Jack suddenly starts throwing the snow at her instead of building with it, it turns into a snowball fight instead. Soon, Merida's hair and clothes are completely soaked. She sneezes.

"We should head to the cabin.", Jack says, looking a little worried.

"Oh, but I'm –hachoo – fine!"

"Yeah, yeah and I am the Easter bunny!", Jack states, rolling his eyes. Then he picks her up. "Silly human, getting ill like that!"

"Hey!", the silly human protests.

He laughs.

"It's already getting dark.", Jack states, as he closes the door to the shack. "Maybe we should stay the night."

"But my parents would worry terribly!"

"And I'd worry terribly if you got a fever or something!", Jack ads. "And maybe it's good to leave your mother alone for a little. To think everything over."

"I suppose you are right…oh, I think I might actually be coming down with something…" She staggers and Jack is there in a split second. He picks her up and carries her upstairs to the witches' bedroom. "I wonder if she'll mind…", he sniggers and lies Merida down under the blanket. "But you should get some rest." He pulls off her shoes and kisses her forehead. It feels a little warm and Merida moans in satisfaction as his cold lips press against it.

"I'll be here when you wake up.", he smiles and leaves the room. Merida almost immediately falls fast asleep. Once again she dreams of Jack. And as he reaches out to touch the dandelion, everything around them freezes. He looks at her and it looks to her like he is mouthing. "Goodbye!" And then, as quick as a flash, he is gone.

She wakes up sweating. Jack is sitting at the end of her bed. "What were you dreaming?"

"I-I can't remember."

"You slept for almost a whole day.", he grins.

"Really? Wow." He feels her head.

"But at least your fever has gone down."

"I could use a bit of fresh air.", she says.

"Maybe you're right." He helps her pull herself up and puts on her shoes. Then he strokes her hair a little, so it flattens. "You know you have beautiful hair."

"And I adore your eyes.", she replies and kisses his cheek.

Together, they leave the bedroom and out the door.

"It's starting to get dark.", Merida notices as the hurls herself upon the roof of the cottage.

"I know. It's beautiful, isn't it?"

"Yes, I..." She turns to face him. "I've never seen you underneath the moonlight before."

"Let's stay a little longer."

'Let's stay forever.', Merida thinks.

Jack places his arm around her. He feels her shivering slightly, so he pulls off his cloak and wraps it around her shoulders. She smiles at him gratefully and he kisses her. Soon passion takes over, leaving them lying next to each other, naked and panting.

"I really wish I could keep you warm.", he sighs.

"But you do. Every single inch of me is burning up, in fact. Jack, you do more for me than anyone else ever could."

'You say that now, but what if you wake up one day and I am no interesting. What if you can't see me anymore?' He aches to ask her all this, but is so scared of the answer, that he simply takes her in his arms and tries his best to forget.

"HEY! What are you two doing on my house?!" They spin around and there is the witch, shouting and yelling. Merida jumps up, grabs her clothes and starts running, Jack's cloak still around her shoulders. Jack follows, giggling and shouting.

"Jack, how come she could see you?", Merida asks, as they start to slow down, panting.

"I'm not really sure myself, I suppose because she is a witch."

Merida is suddenly reminded of the question he asked her a few days ago. "Jack?"

"Yes?"

"If the grass was green, the trees bright and the forest beautiful – yes, I would. I am not easily fooled Jack. I know what I'm doing, know the risks. And if I still do it, that means I don't care."

Jack stares at her and then takes her in his arms, without a word.

"I love you, Merida.", he whispers. They stay that way for a while, until Merida breaks the silence.

"We should really get back to my home, my parents will be sick with worry!"

"Alright, but promise me to take it easy when you're back. No hunting or practising."

She frowns. "Oh, alright!"

Her mother rushes towards her with open arms. "Merida, my darling, we were so worried, where have you been?!"

"I was at the shack and I felt a little ill, so I stayed the night. I'm sorry for worrying you."

"Oh, never do this to us again!"

"I know, I'm so sorry."

A the supper table, her mother suddenly turns to Merida. "Merida, I have received letters from the kings and they have told me that their sons have all happily married. Meaning you will no longer be forced into anything you don't want. I'm sorry I overreacted the other day, I fell back into old patterns."

"I know. So did I. I didn't mean for it to happen, but I promise you, it was all..." She sighs. "...it was all just a silly trick. I'm sorry."

The next day Merida is talking to one of her favourite maidens, when suddenly she feels a cold embrace from behind. Jack has wrapped his arms around her chest and his head rests on her shoulder.

"So, who's she?"

"This is Rebecca.", she explains, without thinking.

"Who are you talking to, your highness?"

"Oh, no one, I'm sorry.", Merida ads, blushing.

Jack cackles behind her. "You're so silly, hahaha!"

"Indeed...I have to go, have a lot to do.", says Rebecca, looking confused.

When she has left, Merida joins in to Jack's laughing. "You are so evil!", she giggles. "And late!"

"Merida, come with me, I need to show you something..."

"Wait, let's ride today, Angus hasn't been getting enough attention lately. Peter!" A scrawny, but tall blond stable boy comes running.

"Yes?"

"Could you saddle Angus for me?"

"O-of course.", he mumbles, but doesn't move. "Princess..."

Jack twitches a little behind her. "Come on then, move it!", he says, frowning angrily.

Suddenly 'Peter' takes a careful step towards Merida, looking fascinated.

"Oh, no, you don't!", Jack protests and freezes the ground underneath Peter, making him slip. Then he pushes Merida forward. "Forget that moron, do it yourself!", he mutters, annoyed and Merida laughs at his jealousy.

"Never mind, Peter, I'll do it myself!", she calls over her shoulder and then adds: "See you tonight!", to tease Jack.

Soon after, they leave the castle ground in a fast gallop and Jack clings to her waist. Snow begins to fall as Jack rediscovers the thrill of riding on Angus, sitting behind Merida. She however, closes her eyes and feels the wind in her hair, her face; all around her the cold is taking its toll. Then she opens her mouth and catches the snowflakes with her tongue, laughing loudly.

Jack catches himself looking sadly at her smiling, ecstatic face and her red and fiery, flowing hair. But he pushes down the tears and forces a smile on his face. He must enjoy this time, he must. But winter in Scotland has arrived. It is here, all around them and there is nothing left to do.

"Close your eyes.", he whispers, as she lands in his arms after jumping down from Angus. She does as he commands and closes her eyes. "Do you know what day is tomorrow?", he asks.

"Christmas day.", she replies, looking irritated. "And?"

"Well, what do people do on Christmas day?"

"They...exchange presents...?"

"Correct.", he whispers and she can feel them floating through the air. "And you should not be left out."

She gasps and giggles. What could it possibly be?

"Okay...", he says and she feels him turning her towards something. "Open...your...eyes!"

The view overthrows her. How could she ever have known such things exist? She wonders how she could have never seen this before. Her heart stops at the mere sight of it. This is the most gracious gift anybody has ever given her for Christmas.

"Oh, Jack, it's...I can't even...it's so..." Her touched soul brings the tears into her eyes. "..._beautiful_."

"I knew that you would like it.", he chuckles.

"Oh, Jack, you did this for _me?"_

"I would do anything for you."

"Can I...touch it?"

"Sure, you've drank from it before, after all."

Merida reaches out and strokes across the ice from the waterfall that usually pours from the cliff. It is frozen now. She can see her and Jack's reflection in it. He wraps his arms around her once again and buries his head in her neck. Merida giggles when she sees how it looks as if they red locks were his. He looks at what she is laughing at and chuckles. "Don't you think it suits me?"

"Even better than me.", she cackles and turns around to give him a thank you kiss. "Jack, just know this is the best winter I have ever had."

"Mine too.", he replies and can't help tears flooding his eyes. He kneels down. Merida takes the tears as a symbol of this moving moment and kneels down next to him. She lifts up his chin and looks into his wet, blue eyes. "Because, Jack..." He looks into her soft, charming eyes. "This is the winter I fell in love with you." Jack's eyes dry and he simply pulls her close. No, he could never tell her. Never could he bring himself to break her heart like that, he was just neither strong, nor brave enough to do it.

"I will never ever forget you, Merida.", he says and breathes her in.

Right then and there, they make love. Sparks fly and cries echo into the cold, white hills. Every inch of the forest is looking down at the lovers, watching as they prove their undying to Scotland, the world, themselves.

Jack feels nothing but happiness as he breathes her in, hears her cries, feels her flesh against his – one last time.

The sun starts to set. Yes, winter has arrived. The sun's time of the day grows shorter and shorter and as of today, Jack knows, the clock will only be moving backwards. The snowstorms will be getting shorter and less intense, the snow will begin to melt and the ice will start to crack under human's feet. Just like winter, Merida and Jack's affair has now reached the climax. From now on, it will only be going down.

They ride back through the woods. They pass where they had built the snowman, but he is no longer. Jack's chest pains. 'I guess he was not fated to have a wife.', he thinks and tightens his grip on Merida. He tries to say his final goodbye on the inside, but it doesn't feel like a proper, relieving farewell to him at all. There is nothing but pain.

"Will we meet at the shack again, tomorrow?", Merida asks, as they reach the castle entrance. Jack jumps down from the horse and lands on his feet. Jack flinches as he realizes that from now on, he will have no further use for his feet. No further use for the little part of humanity remaining in him.

She lands next to him. "Jack?"

He looks right into her eyes and as he reaches out to touch her face, everything around them freezes. He looks at her and it looks to her like he is mouthing. "Goodbye!"

But then he smiles and says: "Sure, see you tomorrow!" And then, as quick as a flash, he is gone.


	5. The End

**Chapter 5 (The End)**

Merida smiles happily and walks off to the castle.

The next morning, she makes herself look extra pretty in front of the mirror, because, for the first time, she cares. She feels different somehow, more like a woman, than like a girl now. She sets off right after breakfast to be able to have the whole day with Jack. She sits on a rock next to the shack, wondering if the witch is inside her house right now and then giggling at the memory of her and Jack running away. She looks around a little. But he doesn't come.

Merida waits all day, and the next. She spends Christmas constantly waiting for him to appear next to her. When she unwraps her first present, she can almost feel Jack whispering in her ear. But she cannot see him anywhere. Her parents sense something in the air, but don't ask. Over the next month, she continuously walks to the shack. But the snow is starting to melt and the prickling on her skin is fading. She realizes he is slipping out of her hands until two, three months later…he is completely gone. On the last day of winter, she lies in her bed all day. She is completely silent, not one word escapes her mouth. Sometimes she starts howling all of a sudden. That goes on for about an hour, then she stops, turns and continues being silent. Her parents try to get in, but she asks them to leave. There is nothing they could do. Spring has begun and Jack has vanished. Merida feels as alone as she has ever felt. And she remembers how she had asked Jack about loneliness. To think he had felt like this all his life…

All of a sudden a year has gone by. Time flies by so fast and Merida has stopped feeling. Walking to the shack every day becomes a habit and she watches the sky until it has gone dark. Sometimes she stays the night. Her mind is blank, there is nothing. No tears left, for they would be such a painful understatement. And no matter how many days, weeks and years she waits, Jack never turns to gray, the memory of him never fades and the winter affair never loses its colour.

Speaking is something she does without thinking. And rarely. Her mother is worried, but Merida doesn't realize it. Sometimes, in winter, she feels like he is really there, right next to her, but when she looks, there is nothing but snow. A part of her knows she will never see him again and that other part isn't thinking anything. All it does all day is make her feet drag her to the shack and wait. That part remembers his face, his words, his actions. And that part soon takes complete control of Merida, turning her into a shell of her old self. All she wants is to see him, feel his presence. Even if it's just for a moment, to prove that he does exist. To prove he is not gone. To prove he is still in her life, even if she can't see him.

Three years go by and her eyes turn weary and cold and not the usual friendly warmth. Merida never cries, never laughs, she has dried up on the inside and doesn't feel cold, nor warmth. Memories haunt her, wake her up in the night and that is the only time she ever feels tears on her cheeks, just after waking up. She tries, but sometimes, the feeling overcomes her, that it really was just a dream. Her life is complete nothingness and all she wants is to be rid of it, to be with Jack, one way or another.

The other day she thought she heard her mother say something about marriage and she simply nodded. Another month passes her by. Time is laughing at her, spitting to her feet. Time is destroying her. The more the clock ticks, the blanker Merida's thoughts turn, until she feels frozen. Absolutely frozen, like the ice she had watched Jack create.

And then she is in her room and maids are dressing her in a white gown. Servants run around, planning things, flowers are delivered to the castle.

Sometimes Merida sees strangers pass the castle and now and then, some strange man talks to her, smiling. But she always replies with a short sentence or nod. The words he utters are heard, but never reach her. Neither do anyone else's.

One day, Merida wakes up to the church bells ringing. Servants enter her room, smiling and talking. She is washed thoroughly and dressed in the gown she tried on a few weeks ago and her hair is put up in a beautiful long ponytail. High, sparkling white shoes are slipped onto her soft feet and the sound of the bells echoes in her empty mind.

Her mother comes in soon after and starts talking to her softly.

"Merida, this is just for you. I am sure that you and Frederick will make a beautiful couple. Merida, if only you would talk to me! Maybe I could help you. I love you with all my heart, just please talk to me! I would do anything for you if only you would tell me what you want! If you want to marry some town's boy, please do! But I cannot bare seeing you waste away like this any longer! I just…can't…bare it.", her mother says between small sobs.

She starts shaking her at the shoulders.

"Merida! Please! Talk to me!"

But Merida stays silent. So, she really is getting married. 'Then there is nothing to be done. If Jack ever returns, I will be married. And he will be alone. I will stop believing in him, walk through him…I will break his heart, just like mine.'

"Okay, mother. I am going to marry him. I am sure we will be happy together." She turns to her mother, but looks right through her.

The queen reaches out and holds her child in her arms. She is gone, somewhere far away and she does not know how to get her back. She clings on, scared of letting her slip away, terrified of losing her. "Come back to me. _Please."_, she whispers in Merida's ear and leaves her room, still sobbing.

But Merida doesn't know how. This emptiness can never be filled and definitely not by _Frederick._ Merida turns off her thoughts. They are hurting now. She sits on her bed, silent, when suddenly, she hears how her hoarse voice starts whispering.

"Two little dicky birds

Sat on a shack,

One named Merida,

The other named Jack.

Fly away, Merida! Fly away, Jack!

Come back, says Merida. Come back, Jack…"

Her father clings tightly to her arm and starts walking. Merida knows as soon as she reaches the altar, her freedom will be gone. Vanished. No more. But there is nothing she can do anymore. There is nothing anyone can do.

As her father lets go, Merida swallows. It almost feels like…a lump in her throat. She walks the last steps to the altar and looks at the man she will have to give the rest of her life to. She has seen him about just as often as she had seen Jack after they had met, but he is a stranger to her and she knows deep down she will never love him. And he will never love her like Jack did. Never.

He looks at her face and smiles. It is a strange, fake smile. Unknown to her. The lump in her throat grows and she wonders where this pain in her chest is coming from. She takes her final step towards him. There will be no turning back when the words are spoken.

Memories flash through her head. She can't tell where they are all coming from. The shack, their first meeting, their first kiss, the snowstorm when they first made love. The writing on the wall, the snowman, the laughter, dandelions…

Frederick reaches out his hand. She stops and looks at it. Suddenly she feels them. Warm, wet tears trickling down her face. Finally. They have returned. She looks again at Fredericks hand and reaches out. 'I am so sorry, Jack…Jack…'Tears form, more and more. Her hand is twitching and she pulls it back. She touches her cheek. Tears. Tears. Why? More images. Dandelions, dandelions, dickybirds…then a boy. From the back. Dark brown hair, hazel eyes, a heavenly smile.

She feels something she cannot define. Maybe it was just a cold winter breeze, maybe it more like soft whisper, but the princess jerks back. He is here. She can feel him all around her.

Even before the doors to the chapel burst open, she can feel herself running across the red carpet. Her high, white sparkly shoes go flying as the crowd gasps at the runaway bride. Everyone gets up, starts shouting, nobody notices the queen sitting frozen in her spot, tears running down her face, but a smile crowning her lips. She saw her daughter's eyes, she noticed the spark and she, only Elinor, who knew her child better than anyone else in the room, recognized her little girl, life flooding back into her body.

Merida's thoughts return to her. She is thinking again. The cold snow blows inside and the people shiver. But Merida is warm. Snow is falling, ice flowers appear on trees, rocks…he is here, he is here, she knows it in her heart.

Merida runs. The sky is slightly red and beautiful and the sun is starting to set. The weather is cold and yet cosy. Wild and untamed. Like herself. She remembers who she is. With every step, a part of her old self is regained. It's almost like feeling the life return to you.

She runs up the hill, through the trees. She stumbles once, but gets up quickly to not lose this feeling of freedom. The cold and icy wind blows in her ears, as if it is calling her. And she knows exactly what it is saying.

The stones, the path, the shack…like a dream…

Merida reaches the shack and looks around. Nothing but snow. For a moment, cold fear overcomes her and her chest pains. Could it be…she…was…_wrong?_

Then she feels a cold hand on her shoulder. She spins around and there he is. Merida gasps and jumps into his strong arms. She decides in that very moment, that she has kept silent for too long.

"Jack! Jack! I don't want to marry some Frederick! Jack, Jack…!"

He embraces her tightly, breathing her in, gasping, crying and laughing at the same time. She strokes his back and cries and cries and cries.

"Jack, all I want…all I want is you. And that's all I ever wanted and ever _will_ want."

"I know, I know, I know.", he sobs. "I love you, I _need _you, Merida. Please don't ever leave me."

"I couldn't if I tried.", she howls. Then, right there next to the shack, on the first winter morning in Scotland, Princess Merida and Jack Frost kiss. Once again she is amazed by how Jack Frost of all people makes her feel so warm on the inside. This warmth, the tickling in her stomach, the lump in her throat, her thoughts and her memories, her whole life – they all return to her. They all come back in that gorgeous, peaceful moment of absolute bliss.

Sooo, will definitley be doing some kind of sequel to this, with some extras, cause a lot of things have kind of been left unexplained. I really adore this Crossover couple, first Crossover story I have ever made. I ship them and only them. Because they're both single and they're way too awesome to be single. And I think they kind of match, both rebellious and free and wild and stuff. Unlike me, I'm dull and don't fling arrows or ice all over the place. And I think the storyline does kind of make sense, since their timelines are quite realistic. Really have no idea when Brave was supposed to have taken place, but it should have been around the early 17 hundreds, which was just when Jack broke in to the ice (which I as the only one thought was like the saddest moment of the movie). Sooo, that's it for now, hope you enjoyed it, please leave reviews and state your oppinion and stuff, I'm really looking forward to the DVD coming out. (Have seen both movies at least twice.) See you in the next sequel (check out my other stories, then you'll get the joke with "See you in the next...")...(hahahahahaha)


End file.
